Synchronizing system.



No. 690,248. Patented Due. 3|, IQOL W. DUANE.

SYNCHRONIZING SYSTEM.

(Application filed Mar. 19, 1901.) (No Model?) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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which the circuit-completer is rotated.

WILLIAM DUANE, or BOULDER, COLORADO.

SYNCHRONIZING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 690,248, dated December31, 1901.

Application filed March 19, 1901.

10 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAMDUANE, a citizen of the United States,residing'at Boulder, in the county of Boulder, State of Colorado, haveinvented'certain new and useful Improvements in Synchronizing Systems,of which the following is adescription, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

My invention relatesto that class of instruments in which, as inprinting telegraph, picture te1egraph,- and synchronous multiplextelegraph, a circular series of insulated contacts or a drum and one'ormore circuit-completers are used, the series of contacts or drums or thecircuitcompleter or completers at a receiving-station being rotated insynchronism with corresponding devices at the transmitting station; andmy invention has for its object to provide means by which the electricmotors driving the rotating devices, which may be either the series ofcontacts or the drums or the trailing fingers or circuit-completers maybe maintained in synchronisni and at constant speed.

In carrying out my invention I provide means by which variations inspeed between the motors at different stations will automatically causesuch change in the circuit of one or the other of the motors as will sofar correct its movement as to bring the motors into synchronism witheach other, and I also provide each of the motors with a speed-limitingdevice by which as soon as the lagging motor is brought up to the properspeed of rotation further increase of speed will be prevented.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of an instrumentembodying my invention, the circuits being shown diagrammatically. Fig.2 is a diagram of two terminal stations,illustrating the part of myinvention intended to bring the'motors atsuch stations into propersynchronous relations.

In the construction shown in the drawings, A is the armature of theelectric motor, by The armature A is vertically arranged and is carriedby a shaft D, which is supported in suitable bearin gs.

B B are the field-magnets, and O is the com mutator, of the motor. Inthe motor shown Serial No. 51,883. (No model.)

the armature and field-magnets are in series; but,if preferred, themotor may be shuntwound. At any convenient point in the motor-circuit isplaced a resistance R, which is arranged to be short-circuited in themanner and for-the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The shaftD extends upward above the commutators and carries, preferablyat its upper end,a cross-bar or disk E,of wood or other nonconducting'material,secured to the shaft midway between its ends. At one of itsends the cross-bar carries anut Through this nut extends, as shown, aset-screw (2, preferably provided at its lower end with a contact-pointf, preferably of platinum. Pivoted in the cross-bar bya pin h at a pointnear the shaft D is a swinging arm g,of conducting material, carryingnear its free end a weight j, the weight serving to hold thearm pendentfrom its pivot when the armature is at rest. Gonnected to the pin his awire is, and connected I to the set-screw e is a wire Z. These wires areled along the shaft D, as shown, to the commutator (3,where they areconnected, respectively, to opposite sections of the commutator.

As soon as the armature, andwith it the cross-bar E, begins to rotate,the end of the swinging arm gis thrown outward and-upward. When thedesired speed of rotation is attained, the end of the arm, whichispreferably provided with a platinum contact, is

brought into contact with the contact-point f, closing the circuitbetween the opposite sections of the commutator to which the wires Z0and Z are connected and short-circuiting the portion of the armature-winding which is connected with these sections. The current in thearmature being thus materially reduced,the speed will not be furtherincreased, but will remain constant, as the instant it begins to lessenthe weightj will'cause the arm 9 to drop sufficiently to break the shortcircuit and increase the current through the armature. By means of theset-screw e the position of the contact-pointf may be varied to regulatethe speed as desired.

If desired, two or more swinging arms and contact-points may be used,and any number of opposite sections of the commutator may be connectedwith them, so that'a corresponding number of portions of thearmature-winding will be short-circuited when the desired with theline-wireJ in the usual manner.

speed of rotation is attained. The cross-bar E is shown provided withnuts d at both ends, though only one of these nuts is shown providedwith a set screw c.

On the shaft D below the armature A is secured a fly-wheel orbalance-wheel F to secure steadiness of rotation. The lower end of theshaft D is supported in a suitable hearing G. Below the balance-wheel F,and preferably below the bearing G, is arranged the circular table H ofinsulated contacts or sun-wheel over which the trailing finger orcircuit-completer 1 slides. While this table or sun-wheel may bearranged in any wellknown way, I prefer to so arrange it that thecircuit-completer I shall make contact with the vertical sides of thecontacts rather than their upper faces. The circuit-completer I may beconveniently carried by the balancewheel 1*. It is, however, essentialonly that it be so connected with the shaft D that it will be rotated bythe motor to make contact successively with the several insulatedsections.

The insulated conducting-sections of the circular table or sun-wheel,except as hereinafter described, are connected in the usual way withtransmitting or receiving instruments, the circuit-completer I beingconnected through the shaft D and its bearing G A battery K or othersource of current is provided in the line-wire circuit.

At opposite points in the contact-table or sun-wheel the insulatedsections are divided,

two of the subsections being connected, re-

spectively, with magnets L and M, arranged as shown, and through themwith ground.

Between the magnets L and M is arranged a pivoted armature O, ofmagnetic material, arranged to be attracted toward either one of thesemagnets which may be energized. On opposite sides of the outer end ofthe pivoted arm are arranged a stop P and a contact Q. The pin on whichthe armature O is pivoted is connected by wire m with the motor-cir cuiton one side of the resistance R, and the contact Q, is connected by wirea with the motor-circuit on the other side of the resistance R, so thatwhen the armature O is brought into contact with the contact Q, ashereinafter described, the resistance R will be shortcircuited, thuslessening the resistance of the motor-circuit and permitting anincreased flow of current through the motor, whereby its speed isinstantly increased. The stop P limits the movement of the armature inone direction, its movement in the other direction being limited by thecontact Q.

The cuttingout of the resistance R, as above described, is for thepurpose of effecting the slight correction in the speed ofrotation ofthe motors at different stations necessary to maintain them in propersynchronous relation. The speed of the motors will be maintainedconstant by the speed-regulating deeeaaie vices above described it theelectromotive force and external resistance in the drivingcircuit do notvary; but any considerable change in this external resistance will varythe speed slightly. This variation in speed is by my invention utilizedto etfect such change in the speed of the motor which has fallen behindby short-circuiting part of its external resistance as will be suificient to bring it again exactly in phase. In the construction shownfor accomplishing this object the circular table of contacts or sunwheelII of station 1, referring to Fig. 2, has at diametrically oppositepoints insulated sections S and T, which are not connected totransmitting or receiving instruments, and the corresponding table ofcontacts or sunwheel H of station 2 has similarly-arranged sections Sand T. Each of these sections is divided as shown, sections S and Sbeing made up of insulated subsections 8 s and s s', respectively, andsections T and T each comprise a subsection it, of conducting material,and a subsection t't', of insulating material. The tables of contacts atthe different stations are so arranged that the brush I of station 1will be in contact with section S of table H at the same instant thatbrush I of station 2. makes contact with section T of table H.Subsections s and s" at stations 1 and 2, respectively, are in circuit,respectively, with magnets L and L, and subsections 3' and s are incircuit, respectively,with magnetsMandM. Subsectionstand iattherespective stations are connected to ground.

If the motors at the two stations are eX- actly in phase, the brush I atstation 1 will be in contact successively with subsections 8 and 8,while the corresponding brush 1 at station 2 is in contact withsubsections t and 6, and the magnets L and M at station 1 will beenergized in quick succession, with the resuit that the armature 0 willbe thrown over and quickly back again without cutting out the resistanceR for any appreciable time. If, on the other hand, the motor at station1 lags behind the motor at station 2, so that the brush 1 at station 2is no longer in contact with subsection t when the brush I at station 1is in contact with subsection 8, the magnet L will continue to beenergized, holding the armature 0 against contact Q and short-circuitingthe resistance R and increasing the speed of the motor at station 1until it is brought up in phase with the motor at station 2. If themotor at station 2 lags behind, it will be brought up into phase in thesame way.

While I have shown and described specific means for correcting thevariations in phase between the motors at diiferentstations and forpreventing increase of speed of the lagging motor above thepredetermined speed, it is evident that means for efliecting thesepurposes other than those which I have shown and described might beused. It should therecircuit-completer, the combination of means forcorrecting variations in phase between the motors at the difierentstations by increasing the speed of the slower motor and means connectedwith each of the motors by which, as

soon as the desired speed of rotation is attained, further increase ofspeed is prevented; substantially as described.

2. In a synchronizing system, comprising a plurality of stations, eachprovided with a circular series of insulated contacts, a rotatingcircuit-completer sliding over said contacts, and an electric motor formoving the circuit-completer, the combination of means for correctingvariations inphase between the motors at ditferent stations, by reducingthe resistance of the motor-circuit of the slower motor to increase itsspeed and means connected with each of the motors by which, as soon asthev desired speed of rotation is attained, further increase of speed isprevented; substantially as described.

3. In a synchronizing system, comprising a plurality of stations, eachprovided with a circular series of insulated contacts, a rotatingcircuit-completer sliding over said contacts and an electric motor formoving the circuit-completer, the combination of means forcorrectingvariations in phase between the motors at different stations,by reducing the resistance of the motor-circuit of the slower motor toincrease its speed and means connected with each of the motors by which,as soon as the desired speed of rotation is attained, a portion of thearmature-circuit is short-circuited to prevent further increase ofspeed; substantially as described.

4. In a synchronizing system, comprising a plurality of stations, eachprovided with a circular series of insulated contacts, a rotatingcircuit-completer sliding over said contacts and an electric motor formoving the circuitcompleter, the combination of means for correctingvariations in phase between motors at different stations, comprisingdivided contacts at opposite points in the circular series of insulatedcontacts, one of said divided contacts being composed of insulatedsections of conducting material in circuit respectively, withoppositely-arranged electromagnets, a movable armature arranged betweensaid electromagnets, a contact against which said armature is arrangedto be drawn by one of said electromagnets to short-circuit a resistanoein the motor-circuit, to increase the speed of rotation of the motor,the opposite divided contact being composed of a section of conductingmaterial and a section of insulating material; substantially asdescribed.

5. In a synchronizing system, comprising a plurality of stations, eachprovided with a circular series of insulated contacts, a rotatingcircuit-completer sliding over said contacts and an electric motor formoving the circuitcompleter, the combination of means for correctingvariationsin phase between motors at different stations, comprisingdivided contacts at opposite points in the circular series of insulatedcontacts, one of said divided contacts being composed of insulatedsections of conducting material in circuit respectively, withoppositely-arranged electromagnets, a movable armature arranged betweensaid electromagnets, a contact against which said armature is arrangedto be drawn by one of said electromagnets to short-circuit a resist-.ance in the motor-circuit, to increase the speed of rotation of themotor, the opposite divided contact being composed of a section ofconducting material and a section of insulating material, and meansconnected with each of the motors by which, as soon as the desired speedof rotation is attained, further increase of speed is prevented;substantially as described.

6. In a synchronizing system, comprising a plurality of stations, eachprovided with a circular series of insulated contacts, a rotatingeircnit-completer sliding over said contacts and an electric motor formoving the circuitcompleter, the combination of means for correctin gvariations in phase between motors at different stations, comprisingdivided contacts at opposite points in the circular series of insulatedcontacts, one of said divided contacts being composed of insulatedsections of conducting material in circuit respectively, withoppositely-arranged electromagnets, a movable armature arranged betweensaid electromagnets, a contact against which said armature is arrangedto be drawn by one of said electromagnets to short-circuit a resistancein the motorcircuit, to increase the speed of rotation of the motor, theopposite divided contact being composed of a section of conductingmaterial and a section of insn- WILLIAM DUANE.

Witnesses:

O. RIoKETTs, GEO. W. RICHARDSON.

